Machine for shaping articles



e; B. BROWN.

MACHINE FOB SHAPING ARTICLES.-

APELICATION FILED FEB.15, 1921- '1,407,724. Patented Feb.28, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET ljyfl w W7 guys.

G. B. BROWN MACHINE FOR SHAPING ARTICLES. APPLlCATlON EILED FEB. 15. 1921.

Patented Feb. 28, 192 2 4 SHEETSSHEET2-W G. B. BROWN. MACHINE FOR SHAPING ARTICLES.

APPLICATION- EILED EEB.15, I92!- 1,407,724, Patented Feb. 28, 1922.

' 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

G. B. BROWN.

MACHINE FOR SHAPING ARTICLES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 15, 1921.

Patented Feb. 28, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4."

jweizZa'r Z8 M Zii Z UNITED STATES GUY nfimowiv, or GARDNER, MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOR SHAPING ARTICLES.

Specification of Letterslatent.

Patented Feb. 28, 1922.

Application filed February 15, 1921. Serial No. 445,056.

To all to 710m: it 977 any concern 'Be it known that l. GUY P). BnowN, acitizen of the United States, residing at Gardner, in the county of VVorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Machines for Shaping Articles, of which the following is a specification.

dliy invention relates to machines for forming articles of various sorts from wood, and particularly to machines for forming chair bottoms from woodenblanks.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and efficient machine of the character referred to by means of which wooden blanks for chair bottoms, or other articles, may be expeditiously and accurately trimmed to the desired predetermined shape.

The invention is embodied'in the improvements hereinafter described and claimed.

Of the accompanyingdrawings forming a part of this specification,

Figure 1 is an elevation of a machine embodyingmy invention, said machine being particularlydesigned for shaping chair bottoms. v

Figure 2 is a plan view, partly broken away, of the machine shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig- Ute-2.

Figure 1 is asectional detail hereinafter described. 7

Figure 515 an elevation showing the two templates or cams for controlling the engagement of the cutting "devices with the wooden blank.

Figures 6 and 7 are views, more or less diagrammatic, illustrating the operations carried out in shaping a chair bottom, the parts in both figures being viewed toward the axis or center of the'machine.

lligure Sis a detail hereinafter described.

The machine herein shown comprises a bed'or table 1, provided with legs 2, resting upon the floor, and having secured to its top sidehearing boxes 3, in which is journaled ahorizontal shaft 1. The shaft 4 carbearing 7 surrounding a vertical post 8 that is provided with a threaded hole at its *lower end to receive within it a screw 9 by means of whlch the post 8 is supported with provision for adjustment vertically. The

shank of the screw 9 is rotatably mounted in a crossbar 10 connected with two of the legs 2, and at its lower end is provided with a hand wheel 11 by means of which the screw may be manually rotated. The post 8 is formed with a vertical slot 85". through which the shaft 1 extends, sothat the post 8 is free to be adjusted vertically relatively to shaft 4, and at the same time the latter holds, or assists in holding, the post against rotating on its vertical axis. the interior of'the bearing sleeve 7 and the exterior of that portion of post 8 mounted therein being cylindrical. At its upper end the post 8 is made with a socket 12 within which are secured, by bolt 15, the lower ends of two uprights or brackets 13 and 14, those portions of the uprights13' and 14 immediately above the post8 being constructed to ointly provide a trunnion upon which is rotatably mounted a sleeve 16. Said sleeve, (Figures 3 and 8), is formed at its upper end with four'sets of gear teeth 17 alternating with smooth or untoothed concave surfaces 20 to be operated by the member 18 having a toothed portion 19 and the rest of its periphery being smooth. These two gears 17 and 18 are of the same pitch di ameter and are constructed so that. during one-o, 'uarter of the revolution of gear 18,

the latter, through the engagement of its teeth 19 with the teeth of the gear 17, ro-

tatcs thelatter one-quarter of a revolution,

while during the remaining three-quarters of the revolution of driving gear 18 the engagement of the. smooth or untoothed concentric periphery thereof with one of-the four smooth concave portions or sockets 20 of gear 17 (Figure 8) serves to lock the latter at rest. and against rotative displacement. Thus, for each revolution of gear 18 the gear 17 first makes one-quarter of arevolution, during one-quarter of the revolution'of gear 18, that is, while the teeth 19 engage one of the sets of teeth 17 and then, during the other three-quarters of a revolution of the gear 18 its smooth concentric portion rides over a concave portion 20.

Extending radially outward from sleeve 16 are four'arms 21, integral at their inner ends with ahub 22 surrounding the sleeve 16 and fastened to the latter by bolts 23. It will thus be clear that sleeve 16 and hub 22 With its arms 2'], make up a turntable or turret that is intermittently operated stepby-step by gears 17 and 18. l

At its outer end each arm 21 is made With vertical ways in which is mounted a slide or head 24 in which is journaled a horizontallydisposed spindle 25 whose inner end is con nected through a universal joint 26 with an extensible shaft SGCtlOIlIQ'ZWVhOSG opposite end is connected through a universal joint 28 with a short shaft or clutch member '29 mounted to slide endwise and rotate within a bearing provided in sleeve 16. tilts will be clear from idigure 8, the inner end of each clutch member 29 is constructed with a clutch face, While near its outer end it is formed with an annular groove that is occupied bya roll 30, (Figure shamed by a slide 31. Each slide 31 is mounted upon thetop or" one of the arms 21 with provision for movement radially.

Each spindle 25 has its outer end portion threaded to receive upon it a nut 32 (Figure 4) by means of which a plate or head is securely fixed to the end oi? said spindle.

This head or plate 3 has secured to it, by means of screws 34, two cams or templates 35 and 86 cooperating, respectively, with rolls 37 and 38, loosel mounted on the shaft 4. The cams or templates 35 and 36 are at different distances from the vertical axis of the sleeve 16 and, therefore, the rollers 37 and 38 are also located at different distances from the vertical axis of the machine. 7 At its upper end, each slide 24 is made with an outwardly and downwardly extending arm 39provided at its lower end with a threaded hole within which is mounted a screw 40 carrying a hand wheel at its outer end. i At its inner end each screw '40 has swivelly connected therewith a head or pl ate 41, between which and the head or plate 33. the chair bottom blank B is clamped, As will be clear, the blank 13 is securely clamped between the two plates or heads 41 and 53 by means of theserew 40. The outer face of the plate or head 33 (Figure 4) is made with pointed stu is 42 which enter the blank and ensure rotation of the latter with the head or plate the latter being connected with the spindle by means of a key 43.

D The driving gear 18 fast on a shaft 44 iournaled in bearings on the two uprights or brackets 13 and 14, said shaft carrying a fast pulley 45 toreceive upon it a driving belt (not shown) through which the shaft 44 is continuously driven while the machine is in operation. Alongside of pulley 45 is arranged a loose pulley 46 on to which the belt can be shifted when it is desired to stop the operation of the machine. During each period of rest of the sleeve 16, two of the slides 24 occupy positions immediately above the shaft .4 with the blanks carried by said "slides eachuin position immediately above thereof, as illustrated in Figure a cutter head 47, said cutter heads being rigidl secured to the outer ends of the shaft 4. llhen the two slides 24 occupy these positions the cam or template of the slide at the right (Figures 1, 2 and 3), rests upon the roller 37 as indicated in Figure 6,

while the cam 36 of the slide 24 at the left in said figures, rests upon the roller 38 as shown in Figure *7. -Vl hile the parts are in these positions the two spindles 25 of the two slides referred to are rotated, and, as will be clear, the cam 35 of the slide 24 to the right will control the engagement of the cutter 47 with the blank B carried by that slide, while the engagement of the cam 36 with the roll 88 at the left will control the engagement of the cutter 47 atthat side oi the machine with the other blank 13.

During the operation of the machine the blanks are placed in position in the machine and removed from the latter by an attendant who stands in front of the machine as viewed in Figure 1. After a blank has been secured in position upon one of the slides the firststep movement of sleeve 16 carries that blank into position immediately above the cutter 4? at the right, and while the blank dwells at this position it is rotated through the means presently to be described to the extent of about one revolution and halipthe cutter 47 engaging the blank first along one edge, and then along the opposite edge thereof, as illustrated in Figure 6. The'next step movement of sleeve 16 carr es the blank away from the cutter 47 at the right, and the third step movement of said sleeve carries the blank into position immediately above the cutter 47 at the left. l Vhile in this last position,.the blank is again rotated to the extent of about one revolution and a half during which the cutter 47 operates upon the previously uncut edge portions of the blank to complete the shaping 7. During the time that the blankoccupies a position above either cutter, one or the other of the cams 35 or 86 occasions movement of the hlanktoward and from the cutter, to control the engagement ofthe cutter with the blank,

so tha the cutter operates uponthe blank only in the direction of the grain of the wood, or across the grain, but atv no time against the, grain. v

The tourth'step movement of the turret or turn-table brings the new finished chair seat to the unloading and loading position, and the attendant removes the finished seat and substitutes another blank The speed at which the gear 18 1S driven 'afi'ords time and 14. The relative sizes of-the gears of the train being such as to 'elfect: about one revolution and a half of the gear 50 during the time that the untoothedvportion of the gear 18 is riding over a concave portion 20 of the member 17. The gear 48 is fast'on the shaft 14, and rotates continuously with the latter, while the gear 49 is an intermediate through which the gear 48 drives the gear 50. This gear 50 has both ends of its hub made with clutch faces to cooperate with the inner clutch ends of the members 29. As each pair of slides -24 come into position immediately above the shaft 4. the two members 29 connected with the spindles 2501? said two slides register with the ends of the hub of the gear 50 and are-moved inwardly into engagement with said ends so that the two spindles 25 are then driven from the shaft 4 1 through the gears 48, 49 and-50,'members 29, and extensible shaft'sections: 27. Each extensible shaft section 27 includes a spring 51, and these springs are-the means for shifting the clutch members 29 inwardly to engage: the hub of-rgear as described, when brought-into register with the ends of said hub.

The shaft 14 carries a cam 52 cooperating with the rolls that are provided on the slides 31. The outer side ofgear '18 (Fig -ure 8) is also made with a cam 54e-to cooperate with said rolls 53. After two-of the slides 24 have been brought into position over the cuttersifl and the blanks have been rotated .as described,the two cams 52 and 54L"simultaneously engage the rolls 53 of the two slides 31that are connectedwith the clutch members 29 of those twos'lides 24-,- and through thisengagementthe cams force the two slides-31 outwardly, shifting the two clutch members 29 out "of engagement with the ends of thewhub of-g'ear=50. Immediately thereafter the gearlS imparts a 90 step movement tothe sleeve 16. At the start of this 90-stepvmovement and while the rolls 53-are held attheir outermost positions by the: cams 52 and 54, the

inner ends of the slides 31 are carried into position immediately outside of twoseg connected with their slides are brought again into registerwith the hub 'ofjgear As will be clear,-the rotation'of'the cams 52 and 54; around the 'aXis of' shaft 4 1 carries said cams upwardly out of engagement with, and outof the path of, the two rolls 53 referred to, immediately after the slides 31 move into position outside of the segmental abutments 55.

VVhile each slide 24 occupies a "position over oneof the cutters4-7 said slide iswsupported. by, one of the rolls 37 01 38, ;with which the cams-'35 and 36 cooperate, and in order to support the slides 24jWhile-they are traveling froinone cutter to the other, andwhileat rest betW-eenf'the cutters, Iiprovide tracks 56'cooperating with rolls 57 1 provided at the lower ends ofathe slidesr As each slide 24 passes away from position.

tion opposite the cutter'su-In this way the cams or templates 35 :and 36 areaprevented from striking against the sides of thero'llers 37 and 38 as they are'broughtintoiposition opposite "the latter, which'would interfere with the step movements of the sleeve 16.

Each extensible vshaft section27 comprises a tubular member 59, within*which is telescopically fitted a vmalekmember'GO that is splined to said tubular member, so that the latter when driven: by gear 50,:transmits rotary motion to member-60 andthe' spindle 25that is connected therewith. The spring 51 "ofieach extensible shaft-section is arranged within'the' tubular member wunder compression, and' bears at its ends-against the two.1nembers'59' and 60-so as totend toseparate the same. V

The two cams 35 and 36of eachpairare, as'herein shown, counterparts and-'each is constructed with elevations 61 which, through their engagement with the rolls 37 and '38,. serve 'to holdcthe blank out of en:- gagement with the cutters 17: whileeachcutter is-inoving bodily relatively *to the blank against the grain .of-"the latter, as-wvilli'be clear from Figures 6 and 7, the grain of the wooden blank B in:'said figures being indi cated by the horizontal tinting lines. wAlso, each cam is made with idepressions-62 F-which not only permit the blank toidescend 'by gravity into engagement with the cutters, but :which correspond in shape itoathe shape that :it is desired tosgive to the edge of the blank. Thus it will be clear that thexcams 35 and 36 contirolthcengagement ofrzthe cutters" with the work; so that: said cutters-act on the blank only in a direction -with 'F-the grain of the wood; or across the; grainnwith the result that .the edge "of theblank is smoothly finished. to the zdesiredshapeyand thecutters cannot rruni-into or; split the blank. e i- Bearing in mind that Figures 6and -17 are views looking in oppositezdirectionstvit will be understood that the: teeth of "the-twociit- ,ters facein the-same direction relativel'yito the direction of rotation of the shaft 4, so that after the blank leaves the first cutter 47 and is brought into position opposite the other or second cutter 47, it is possible for the latterto complete-the trimming or shap ing of the blank without operating against the grain of the latter. l

For different sizes of articles to be operated upon, the post 8 and the superstructure carried thereby is adjusted by means of the screw 9. For different shapes of articles, iiiterchangeable and properly formed templates or patterns 35, are removably secured to the head screws34. a 1

The operation or methodof shaping the blanks will now be described, reference beinghad particularly to Figures 6 and 7. It is to be understood, however, that said op eration or method might be effected by mechanism in an embodiment other than that illustrated in Figureswl, 2 and 3, or might be effected byhand with the aidof a suitable cutter. i

In Figures-6 and 7 the dotted, circles indi cate some of the-positions of one'orthe-other of thecutters47 relatively to a blank and the templates, said figures, by'means of the arrow lines,indicating the direction of relative movement; Of course, with the machine illustrated, the cutters do not move around the blank: as might'be understood from Figures '5 and 6, but the blank itself rotates. To attempt to'illustrate, in: any one figure, rotative positions of the blank would result in the employment of many confusinglines. Hence, for descriptive purposes, the appar ent indication that the cutters travel around the blank.

Referring now to Figure 6,assume that tion until a point such as (Z is reached. Then r the other-depression 62 of the template permitsresumptionof cutting, first with the grain, and then across the grain tothe point e. 'Itwillbe now understood that'no cutting is effected except in directions with the grain and partly across the grain, but" never against the grain, or at points where a corner might be split 01f. When the blank is then carried around to be acted upon by the other cutter, and under the control of the template 36 (Figure 7)- said template first 83, as bymeans of the.

permits'c'utting from point f, and around the corner to a point where it laps onto the former cut at 6. Separation then occurs and cutting is resumed atv point y and proceeds with the grain to point it, and then across the grain toapoint where it laps'the former cutvat The points of starting and resuming the cutting obviously need not be exactly as illustrated in Figures 6 and 7.

- I claim:

1. A machine of the character described, comprising an intermittently rotatable turret having a plurality of vertically movable carriers, a spindle having a pair of templates mounted in each carrier, means for securing a blank adjacent to each pair of templates, means for rotating the spindles, templates and blanks, cutters for simultaneously operating on two of the blanks, means coacting with the templates for varying thepositions of the blanks relatively to the cutters, and means independent of the templates for'raising the carriers and theparts carried thereby asthey move from one cutter to the other.

2. A machine'of the character described,

ret having aplurality of vertically movable carriers, a spindle having a. pair of templates mounted in each carrier, means for securing; ablank adjacent to each pair of templates, means for rotating the spindles, templates and blanks, cutters for sicomprising anintermittently rotatable turmultaneously' operating on two of the blanks, means coacting with the templates for varying the positions of the blanksrelatively to the cutters .cam tracks over which the'carriers pass, and rolls attached to the carriers for riding on said tracks.

A 'machineofthe characterv described,

comprising an intermittently rotatable turret having a plurality of vertically moveable slides, a spindlemounted in each slide, a pear'of templates anda blank clamp carv ried by each spindle, a shaft having a pair of cutters,'means adjacent each cutter for coacting with one of the templates to vary the height of the slide, and means; for simultaneously rotating two of the spindles While the blanks carried thereby. are in proximityto thelcu'tters, said means comprising automatic clutch con'trolled mechanism for imparting rotary motion to the spindle. 1

, 1 4. A'machine of the characterfdescribed,

comprising a continuously rotatable shaft havinga cutter at each end aiid a roll ads jacent to each cutter, an intermittently ro tatableturret having four e'qui-distant vertically movable slides, each having. a roll, cam tracks over which said rolls ride, a

spindle mounted in each slide, a pair of templates, and a blank clamp carried by each spindle, said templates being positioned toenable but oneof them to coact with the roll adjacent to each cutter, and means for rotating the spindles while they are in positions to present two blanks to the cutters.

5. A machine of the character described, comprising a rotatable turret, a work-clan'ip carried by said turret and mounted to rotate in a plane substantially at a right angle to the plane of rotation of the turret, a plurality of rotary cutters having their axes parallel to said plane of rotation of the turret, and pattern-controlled mechanism for varying the distance between the axis of the clamp and the axis of the cutter operating on the work. held by said clamp.

6. A machine of the character described, comprising a rotatable turret, a Work-clamp carried by said turret and mounted to rotate in a plane substantially at a right angle to the plane of rotation of the turret, a rotary shaft parallel with said plane of rotation of the turret, and having a cut ter at each end, and pattern-controlled mechanism for varying the distance between the axes of the clamp and shaft,

7. A machine oi": the character described, comprising a shaft having a pair of cutters, a carrier movable in a plane parallel with said shaft and having a blanlcclamp rotatable in a plane at a right angle to the plane of movement of said carrier, and independent template or pattern devices to control the actions of the cutters on a blank mounted in said clamp.

8. A machine of the character described, having a shaft carrying two cutters, a car rier intermittently rotatable in a plane parallel with said shaft, and having a blank-clamp rotatable plane at a right angle to the plane of rotation of the said said carrier, and independent template or pattern devices to control the actions of the cutters on a blank mounted in said clamp.

9. A machine of the character described, having a shaft carrying two cutters, a turret intermittentl rotatable in a plane parallel with said shaft and having a plurality of blank-clamps rotatable in planes at a right angle to the plane of rotation of said turret, and a pair of differently shaped patterns adjacent to each blank-clamp to control the actions of the cutter on each blank mounted in a clamp.

10. A machine of the character described, comprising a shaft carrying two cutters, a plurality of blank clamps intermittently movable in a plane parallel with said shaft,

and also rotatable in planes at a right angle thereto, a pair of templates rotatable with each clamp, and supports adjacent to the cutters for said templates.

In testimony whereof I have ailixed my signature.

GUY B. BROWN, 

